Socket or base for trolley poles for electrically-propelled vehicles



E. M. MUNRO. SOCKET 0R BASE FOR TROLLEY POLES FOR ELECTRLCALLY PROPELLED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB; |6- i922. 1,420, 131 Patented June 20, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. M. MUNRO.

SOCKET 0R BASE FOR TROLLEY POLES FOR ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED FEB: 16. 1922.

1,420,131.,v Patented June 20,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EDW'ARD MAY MTJNRO,

or LONDON, ENGLAND.

i ,recaer Specification of Letters Patent. Piigtgntgdgun@ 2U, 1922.

'Applicationled Februaryv 16,'1922. Serial INO. 537,048.

To all 'whom it 'may concern p Be it known that l, Finwann' MAY l/lUNno, a subject of the King' oit England, and residingr at London, in England1 have invented certain new and u'setul improvements in the Sockets or Bases ior Trolle;T Poles tor Electrically-Propelled "Vehicles, of which the following is specification.

rllhis invention relates to the sockets ory bases Jfor trolley-polesr forelectrically pro pelled vehicles and has particular reference to an improved construction of hase intended vprimarily tor use on railless vehicles taking power troni two overhead conductors and employing two trolley13oles.

ln such "vehicles it is desirable that the poles shall he 'capable ot swinging' out as 'lar as possible troni the longitudinal centre line oi the vehicle to allow the `chicle to deviate 'troni the line of the overhead conductors. rllhese conductors are usuallylfairly close together and for this reason and in order to econornize roof space on the vehicle.I it is desirable that Vthe two trolley-poles should be near each other. Existing Ytorins of' trolley-pole bases have the disadvantage that the elevating' springs, unless sunk vverticall'v into sockets, wh ich is `not in some cases convenient or possible, arelikelj,T to foul each other or the poles and thus seruiuslyv limit the swinging' out of the poles.

The primary object ot the Ypresent invention is the construction of a two-pole' trolley hase ot the shallow type. i. e. without sunk elevating; springs, 'in which the poles are suliicientli7 .close together and thc elevating springs so arranged as to all ow the two poles to swing out practicall'yv at right angles to the longitudinal centre line or' the vehicle.

This is convenientl'jY accomplished by mounting; the elevating; spring` for each pole so lthat it lies outside the vertical plane oi the pole and-on the side reniote troni the other pole.

Preferably each pole is mounted in a socket rotatable about horizontal axis on a table forming' part ot a base which is itselt rotatable about a Vertical axis, the stationary part oi? this base being niounted on the root of the vehicle. The outside end ot 4each socket has `a lug or extension actingas 'a crank arin and on this arm the elevating,- spring acts. The elevatingi,- spring` may con veniently lie in a 'horizontal planeand eX- tend forwardly in a vertical plane 4'parallel tothe vertical plane in which the vtrolleypole inoves.

ln the accompanying drawings- 'Figure l is a plan with parts in section of one construction of trolley-'pole base ac cording to this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line V2-12 of Figure l.

VFigure 3 is Ta rear elevation with parts Vin section,

Figure l is a Vdiagram showing how the poles may swing out to approximately 90,".v and Figure 5 is lafp'l'a-n similar to Figure l but showing a modified construction'ot' base also according to this invention. v 'lllVith reference' lirst. to Figures l, 2 and 8, A are rotatable tables 'or bases having hollow stems -which can turn freelyv in fixed sockets B mounted in any suitable way as `:tor instance by the plates B 'on the roof or trolle.7 :plank C of the vehicle.

Each table is provided with a bearing A2 'for a short shaitor spindle D to which is secured the pole socket E. The baise of the trolley-pole is shownat F but in the example illustrated the socket also carries another pole ll" which is however nierely a strut-'or sta;7 Ytor the pole F.

rl`he casting E forming the Ipole socket is provided with lug' or extension E `torniing' a 'crank arn'i by means of which vthe socket audits shaft D can be turned to elevate the pole. rllhis is accomplished bly incans ot' a spring- (i si'ipported `.in a 'traine H welded or otherwise secured to theoutside of each table A. slug' lil at the forward end oit the trarne H has pivotal'l)T connected to it asat H2 the end of a tubeJ ypassirighack centrally within the trarne `H and `terminating' near the crank arno l. Hound this tube JV 'is the 'spiral spring G with its rear end `in contact with a `'stop 'or washer J suitably held at the free end of' the tube J. An inner tuloe or rodl passes through the tube J its rear end being pi'votall'y Aconnected to the crank arni E as at K* and its forward end secured by a pin or Cotter K2 toa head K3 slidable on the outer tube J. This 'head K3 'forms akstop "or abutment tor the other end of the spring G and the arrangementgis a nut and locknnt P.

Such that the spring exerts a pull on the inner tube or rod K and through it on the crank arm E and tends to elevate the trolley-pole. The outer tube J is slotted at J 2 to allow the pin or Cotter K2 to pass through7 the slot being of sufficient length to allow of the necessary movement between the outer and inner tubes and for adjustment ofthe strength of the spring G. This adjustment is provided for by making the stop or washer J" on the free end of the tube J adjustable by means of a nut and locknut J3 working on the screwed end of the tube J.

It will be seen that" the centre line of the shaft or pin D about which the trolleysocket turns, cuts the vertical centre line of the hollow stem A of the table A. This arrangement is convenient as it allows the conductor L leading to the current collector at the end of the pole F to pass straight through the stem and the pole.

The rotation of each of the tables A in relation to its fixed socket B is preferably controlled by means of a cam and springoperated rollers and in the arrangement shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 each stem A is provided with a cam M fixed just beneath the rotating table A. Upon these cams operate rollers or runners N mounted on arms N. These arms are attached to telcscopic tubes O and O as shown in section in Figure land within the tubes is a spring P whose tension can be regulated by means of The action of the spring tends to draw the `tubes one within the other and to force the rollers N into contact with their cams M. rlhis arrangement of cam surfaces and friction rollers or runners is such that when the vehicle is running directly beneath the conductor there is no tendency to rotate the cams but when the vehicle turns out from this position and thus rotates the tables A upon which the pole sockets are mounted, the force exerted by the spring-controlled friction rollers N tends to rotate the cams M and the trolleyheads further in the same direction thus relieving lateral pressure on the conductor.

The operation of this cam control is not described in detail as in principle it is similar to that described in the specification of the United States Letters Patent No. 1,100,680 granted to the present applicant and the R. E. T. Construction Company Limited.

The construction of trolley-base shown in Figure 5 of the drawings is generally similar to that described with reference to Figures l, 2 and 3, the chief point of difference being that in the form shown in Figure 5 the rollers or runners N2 which act on the cams M are carried at the ends of leaf springs P2. Each of these springs is carried in a bracket having aslotted base R. This base R has a toothed undersurface resting upon a similarly toothed portion A2of the base plate A4.

By loosening the nut R2 of a securing bolt which passes through the slot in the bracket R the position of the bracket may be altered relatively to the base plate to regulate the pressure of the rollers l\2 on the cams h Another slight difference of construction is that in Figure 5 there is only one trolleypole F2 mounted on each of the tables thel socket E2 being provided with a strut or arm E2 to stiffen it, this strut or arm being wardly in a vertical plane parallel to theA vertical plane in which the trolley-pole moves up and down.

The diagram forming Figure 4- shows how the improved arrangement of elevating springs enables the poles F to swing out practically at right angles to the line of motion of the vehicle which in that figure is indicated by the arrow c without any fouling of the springs. In this diagram the overhead conductors from which the vehicle is taking its power are indicated at S.

What' l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A trolley-pole base for an electrically propelled vehicle comprising two rotatable tables, a trolley-pole socket pivotally mounted on each of such tables. and a spring actingV on each trolley-pole socket to elevate it7 such spring being disposed at the side of each pole socket remote from the other pole socket.

2. A trolley-pole base for an electrically propelled vehicle comprising two rotatable tables, a trolley-pole socket pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on each of said tables, a lug on each socket acting as a crank arm, and a spring acting on each crank arm, each of such springs lying in a horizontal plane on the outer side of its pole socket and extending forwardly in a vertical plane parallel to tbe vertical plane in which tbe trolley-socket moves.

3. .A trolley-pole base for an electrically propelled vehicle comprising two rotatable tables, a trolley-pole socket pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on each of said tables, a lug on each socket acting as a crank arm, a frame attached to each table on the side remo-te from the other table, a tube pivotally attached to the forward end of each frame, a rod-like member ypivotally attached to the crank arm and extending within the tube and a spring acting between V 01: an electrically 130 propelled vehicle comprising two rotatable tables, a trolley-pole socket pvotally mounted on each of such tables, a spring acting on each trolley-pole socket to elevate it, such spring being; disposed at the side of each pole socket remote from the other pole socket7 cam surfaces rotating with each tahle7 friction rollers acting on said cams and springs operating upon the rollers.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my 10 name to this speoioaton.

EDWARD MAY MUNRO. 

